Executive director leaves, will serve as superintendent
Date: 2/21/2014
By Carley Dangona
carley@thereminder.comWEST SPRINGFIELD – The 2013-2014 school year will be the last for Dr. Anne McKenzie at Lower Pioneer Valley Educational Collaborative (LPVEC).
She has accepted a position as Superintendent of Schools for the Hadley Public School District.
McKenzie has worked for LPVEC for eight years and currently serves as its executive director and director of Special Education. June 30 will be her last day at the collective. She will start her new employment on July 1.
“I hope that I gave more than I took,” McKenzie said. “I’m looking forward to the opportunity Hadley has so graciously given to me.”
A welcome note is posted on the Hadley Public School District website. It states, “Dr. McKenzie is an experienced and charismatic leader in the field of public education. Her drive to improve the educational experience for each child, her collaborative style of team building and her commitment to public education are sure to serve our district well.”
McKenzie said about leaving, “It’s incredibly hard. My favorite part of the job are the people – the students, faculty, parents.”
She added that LPVEC is in “phenomenal shape” and looks forward to what the next executive director has in store. At this time, a replacement has not been named for McKenzie.
“I work with a staff that’s second to none. The entire staff brings a sincere desire to contribute to the lives of others, every single day. They are really exceptional individuals,” she commented.
She said that she will miss her employers too, describing them as “intelligent and witty.”
McKenzie credited the superintendent staff – then and now – that she’s worked with during her time at LPVEC as inspiration for her new position. “They are some of the most talented superintendents in this region,” she said.
She cited those encounters as the reason she developed strong collaborative skills. She added, “[The interactions enable me to build] considerable knowledge about effective practices in school leadership.”
LPVEC is home to approximately 600 students and has six facilities. In contrast, Hadley has approximately 700 students in its entire district and only two facilities.
“I’m excited,” McKenzie said of her new job. “My goal, first and foremost, is to listen to the members of the community. The role of a superintendent is to be a steward of a community’s most precious resource: the education of its children.”
As for LPVEC, “I’m not going away and will return for events,” she said.
